Combination flood and/or warning light



y 1962 H. c. CLASEN' 3,034,098

COMBINATION FLOOD AND/OR WARNING LIGHT Filed Dec. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Henry C. Clasen 1 N VEN TOR I BY Mg/W ma May 8, 1962 H. c. CLASEN COMBINATION moon AND/OR WARNING LIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1959 2 4 m I M. 2 m m M I \II WP" w m o A m w a w K C. m y M m M e H QM Y 7 B a w 5 0 4 a a 6 x 5 w W 0 0 5 3 0 m 7 4 Hm 4 W Q1. 1 H M nll MN l \l 5 f m m w United States Patent 3,034,08 COMBINATION FLEOD AND/0R WARNING IGHT Henry C. Clasen, 600 A Oregon St., Oshkosh, Wis. Filed Dec. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 858,982 8 Claims. (Cl. 340-81) This invention relates to signal devices and more particularly to a combination flood light and warning light adaptable for many uses.

Although there have been flood lights and warning lights in-common use for a number of years, there has been a need for a single assembly which provides ver satility so that it may be used to suit the particular circumstances surrounding the job to be performed. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a combination light assembly which is so designed that by mere selection of lamps for operation, either continuous or intermittent, a signal light is produced. At the same time, there remains the option of using one or more of the lamps as a flood light, for example, to illuminate a particular area.

Briefly, the invention is embodied in a signal and flood light assembly made of a convenient standard or post having several electrical boxes carried thereby or interposed therein. One of the boxes is an ordinary power input'box, while two of the boxes contain fuse sockets adapted to receive flashers. An array of electric lamps is connected with the post, and two of the lamps, for example north-south lamps, are wired in circuit with the fuse socket of one box, and the other two lamps, for instance the east and west lamps, are wired in circuit with the other fuse socket. Consequently, by selection of flashers, a pair of these lamps may be made to operate intermittently; all of the lamps may be Operated intermittently; or none of the lamps operated intermittently i.e. all of them could be energized continuously.

Although an array of lamps such as described above may have been resorted to in the past, the flasher option makes the assembly unique and capable of a number f functions such as indicated above. In addition, an important feature of the invention is found in the uppermost lamp or lamps, preferably adjustable, so that a spot or flood type illumination is readily available for numerous uses, among which are to aid workmen, illuminate the scene of an accident or to serve other sundry purposes such as in civil defense, or when coupled with. a portable generator, as emergency illumination.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical combination lighting assembly wherein the lighting available may be used for widely divergent purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical lighting assembly which is easily used and which makes available numerous possibilities in the use of the lighting assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lighting assembly constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a wiring diagram showing the circuitry of the lighting assembly.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing a second possible use of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Although the assembly which exemplifies the principles of the invention and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is considered to be a lighting assembly it is to be clearly understood that the lighting provided by the light bulbs of the assembly may be used'for a great many, widely divergent purposes such as providing illumination for a specific area; providing illumination used for signal purposes such as traflic control; providing illumination either intermittently or continuously for other reasons and to serve other purposes as will become apparent to many diflerent individuals working in various professions and trades. Therefore the ensuing description relates to only a preferred form of the invention and is to be considered only as exemplifying the conception of the invention and not as the sole embodiment with which the principles of the invention may be demonstrated.

Lighting assembly 10 shown in FIGURE 1 is made of a post means 12, which may, of course, be of various constructions, although it is preferred that it be made of demountable sections such as an upper light andcircuit mounting section 16 and a lower anchoring portion. The lower portion includes section 14 connected to a substantiel base 18 constructed of a pedestal 20 welded or otherwise fixed to the lower end of the lower section 14. Upper section 16 has a downwardly opening socket 22 separably receiving pin 24 formed as a longitudinal extension of the upper end of section 14 thereby forming means by which to quickly and easily couple and uncouple the two sections which are thereby disposed in slidably removable assembled relation. Note that the number of sections may be reduced to a single section or increased to any. practical number.

FIGURE 1 shows a conventional, portable generator 28 operated by an internal combustion engine and providing current through line '30. The line has a conventional plug 32 at one end separa'bly connected in the socket 34 carried by electrical power'inlet junction box' 36. The junction box'is interposed in section 16 between the upper and lower ends thereof, for instance by the use of conventional conduit connectors. Electrical circuit means mounted within boxes 38 and 40 are interposed in section 16, and these have fuse sockets 4'2 and 44 carried thereby. The upper part of section 16 has a signal lamp array 48 of conventional lamps 49, 50, 51 and 52 connected to fitting 54 which is also interposed in the section 16. The lamps are articulatable so that they may be directed in accordance with the desires of the user and held in a selected fixed position. Four conventional light bulbs 55, 56, 57 and 58 are in the lamps, and the faces thereof may be covered by translucent, colored shields, for instance red, green and red,.yellow or any other color depending on the particular use of the assembly 10.

The upper extremity of section 16 has a flood lamp 60 provided with light bulb 61, the light bulb 61 being either a flood light or spot light. The lamp 60' is similar to lamps 49, 50, 51 and 52 in that it is adjustable pivotally or universally to selected positions, and after a selection of position is made, the lamp 60 may be held in that fixed position.

A typical application of assembly 10 is shown in FIG- URE 1. An open manhole is quite dangerous. Assembly provides a source of electrical potential in generator 28, this being quite superior to battery power. The assembly may be set up alongside of the manhole and adjusted to provide flashing signals by way of the light bulbs in the array 48. In addition the light from lamp 61 may be directed into the manhole to facilitate work therein.

FIGURE 4 shows assembly 10 without section 14 and the pedestal base. Instead, post section 16 is removed from section 14 and inserted in a socket 22a which is carried by a motor vehicle. FIGURE 4 merely indicates pictorially the versatility of assembly 10.

78' controls the energization of the north-south lamps 56 andl58. The circuit is quite simple, consisting of the lines 80 and 81 which connect through plug andsocket' 32 and 34 to the line cord 30. Line 81 is the return line and therefore it is connected to' jumpers 82- and 83 between the pairs of light bulbs 55, 57 and 56, 58. It is further connected to lamp 60 having light bulb'61'therein. The. arbitrarily designated feed side of the line 80 is connected-to'both flashers 77 and 78 and to jumpers 84 and 85 between the pairs of light bulbs and also to the lamp 60 containing light bulb 61; This, of course, is a diagrammatic representation.

Circuit control over the pairs of light bulbs can be obtained in several ways, thesimplest of which is sim-' ply to loosen either or both of the 'fuses 75 and 76 to energize or deenergizegeither pair of lightbulbs in the array 48. Individual'light bulbs may be loosened should this be found desirable. One; pair, for instance light bulbs 55 and 57 may be made inoperative by'loosening only fuse 75. The same holds true of the other pair. One pair may be used with a flasher'and the other pair deenergized or energized. Both pairs may be used with flashers, or neither pair used with flashers.

What is claimed as new'is as follows;

1. A portable multipurpose illumination assembly comprising, vertically adjustable post means-having an upper light and circuit mountingsection and a; lower anchoring portion in slidable and removable assembled relation to each other, selectively directed illumination means universally. mounted ontopgof the upper mounting, section, a plurality of signal lamp means adjustably mounted on the upper section in spaced relation below the directed illumination means, electrical power inlet meansmounted on the upper section: and electrical circuit means mounted in the upper section operatively connecting said power inletmeans to the directed illumination means for providing continuous illumination from the directed illumination means and selectively operable circuit control means mounted on the upper section and operatively connecting the circuit means to the lamp means to energize different selected combinations of continuous and intermittent operating lamp means;

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said control means includes fuse means operatively'connected to the signal lamp means for selectively interrupting continuous power supply from the power inlet meansto selected pairs of lampmeansandflasher means op'eratively con- 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said fuse means andfiasher means are mounted in operative relation to each other \m'thin control boxes mounted in vertically spaced relation to each other on the upper section for selective removal and insertion thereinto of fuse means and flasher means.

- 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said inlet means is ,disposed below the control boxes on the upper section.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said lower portion includes a ground supported base. 6.- The combination of claim 1, wherein said lower portion includes means for anchoring the upper section to a vehicle.

' pairs of lamp means.

8. A portable multipurpose illumination assemblycomprising, a-lower anchoring assembly, an upper cir- 'cuit mounting section removably secured to said anchoring assembly, a selectively directed 'lamp adjustably po- 7 1 sitioned on top of said upper section, a plurality of signal lamps mounted on the uppersection in spaced relation below the'to-p, spaced control boxesmounted on the upper section below the signal lamps and electrically connected to different pairs of said signal lamps in parallel with said directed lamp, flasher devices mounted in selected controlboxes for intermittently interrupting electrical connections to the signal lamps and a power inlet box mounted on the upper section below the control boxes the flasher devicesz References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,144 Ames Apr. 29, 1930 1,839,348 Shaw Jan. 5, 1932- 2,285,734- Mackall June 6, 1942 2,401,940 Lange June'll, 1946 2,600,070 Nicorvo June 10, 1952 2,781,017 Fuller et a1. Feb. 12, 1957 2,838,744 De Wald June 10, 1958" OTHER REFERENCES Publication, American CityfMay- 1951, page 137,

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